Chapter 194: Was I Disliked?

Jingzhou Chief Clerk's Office.

Liu Yin sat in the center, sixteen black-clothed legal officials sat on both sides, everyone with a serious face.

The legal officials stood up one by one to report.

"Silk weaving field, done."

"City gate, done."

"A's invasion of the house, done."

"B's invasion of the house, done."

"Case evidence documents, ready."

"Verification and stamping, ready."

"Signet order, stamped."

"Summons document, verified."

"Sealing document, verified."

"Commandery military document, verified."

"Detention document, verified."

"Interrogation document, pending verification."

Liu Yin pressed his hand, and the twelve people who had just stood up sat down simultaneously, silent and solemn.

"This case is major and cannot be lost. From this moment on, the Chief Clerk's Office and the Commandery Office are forbidden from going out. Those without assignments will stay in the two offices tonight. When going out on official business, there must be at least three people, supervising each other. All official documents such as orders, documents, and forms must be sealed and issued before the arrest. Tomorrow's matter concerns the dignity of the law and the stability of Jingzhou. Anyone who is negligent or careless, causing news to leak or delaying the opportunity, will be punished by me with heavy laws!"

All the legal officials stood up and bowed: "Respectfully follow the Chief Clerk's orders!"

Green bamboo mats and rhinoceros curtains, ice melting to relieve the heat.

Wang Yang sat in the room, with three plates of exquisite pastries and "four cold items" in front of the table, including melon, honey peach, fresh lotus seeds, and waxberry. The melon and peach were peeled and cut into small pieces, chilled in an ice tray filled with small ice cubes, and wisps of cool air were rising from above.

A maid stood beside Wang Yang, fanning him. Another maid was responsible for pouring wine and taking fruit and ice from the ice chest.

Xiao Baoyue sat next to Wang Yang, separated only by a small desk. She was covered in purple, her phoenix hairpin half-removed, her hair loosely tied, her makeup light, and Wang Yang's voice was eloquent, while Baoyue's mind was focused.

Since the last time he "entered the hall and entered the room," Xiao Baoyue no longer asked Wang Yang to recite books, but instead began to ask for advice. After several attempts, she knew that Wang Yang often had reservations about key points, so she stopped asking about realistic strategies and turned to discuss history with Wang Yang. Wang Yang also had his own intentions, so he "did not hesitate to give advice." Unknowingly, this "elective course" turned into a "seminar," and Wang Yang's role changed from student to teacher.

"... In the early Han Dynasty, the capital's garrison was only in the North and South Armies. Therefore, when Empress Lü was seriously ill, she made Lü Lu the General-in-Chief to occupy the North Army and Lü Chan the Prime Minister to occupy the South Army. Then the military power in the capital all belonged to the Lü family, wanting to use this as a plan for eternal security. By the time of Emperor Wu, the North and South Armies were reduced. He met the attendants, regular attendants, martial riders, and Northwest good family sons who could ride and shoot at the palace gate, calling them 'Qimen'; he also established the Jianzhang Camp Cavalry, later renamed 'Yulin Cavalry.' Then the power of the North and South Armies was divided.

Qimen was the later Tiger's Might, and by the Later Han Dynasty, the Tiger's Might was in charge of the guard and attendants; others were selected as Yulin for those who were exhausted in conquest, and high-talented people from the North Army were selected as Left and Right Yulin Cavalry. Therefore, Yulin and Tiger's Might gradually became the elite of the forbidden army.

In addition, the military power in the capital of the Later Han Dynasty also had three parts. First, the guards of the North and South Palaces led by the Weiwei. Second, the Tiji and Chiji under the Zhijinwu. Third, the city gate garrison.

The city gate garrison was scattered and not elite, the least important of the three parts. Therefore, when Wang Mang led the government, he made Kong Guang the Grand Tutor, in charge of the city gate soldiers, to show respect. Just because the city gate was not a key point, he could have this arrangement. By the time Emperor He of Han purged Dou Xian, one edict made Ding Hong the Grand Marshal and concurrently Weiwei, garrisoning the North and South Palaces; the second edict made the Zhijinwu and the five schools of the North Army listen to the mobilization, but not the city gate soldiers, also because it was not a key point. Like Emperor Huan purging Liang Ji..."

Xiao Baoyue listened intently, her waist unconsciously leaning forward, tilting toward Wang Yang bit by bit.

Wang Yang knocked on the table.

Xiao Baoyue was startled, her beautiful eyes showing a trace of doubt.

Wang Yang waved his palm outward: "It's a bit hot, move back a bit."

The air suddenly became very quiet.

The maids around were dumbfounded, not daring to raise their heads. The maid fanning continued to fan as before.

Xiao Baoyue was first confused, then unbelievable!!!

This is... being... being disliked???

Xiao Baoyue was suddenly furious: "Wang—"

Wang Yang said: "Or should we stop here for today—"

"Young Master Wang, please continue." Xiao Baoyue changed her face instantly, her smile gentle.

Wang Yang frowned: "Your voice is so loud, it interrupted my train of thought."

Xiao Baoyue was trembling with anger, her palms tightly clenched in her sleeves, but she could only swallow her anger and say: "Young Master Wang is right, my voice was a bit high."

Wang Yang gave a hum like a grandfather and began to eat the chestnut powder cake slowly.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Baoyue almost couldn't help but call that plate of chestnut powder cake onto Wang Yang's face!

Wang Yang finished eating, drank another sip of grape wine, and seeing Xiao Baoyue's face turn pale, as if she were trying her best to endure, he continued:

"Emperor Huan purged Liang Ji, first collecting all the tallies and sending them to the Ministry of Personnel to prevent people from holding tallies to mobilize troops. Then he ordered the Yellow Gate Order to take the left and right stable riders, Tiger's Might, Yulin, and the sword and halberd soldiers of the Du Hou, totaling more than a thousand people, to surround Liang Ji's mansion. This was because the Weiwei and the various school captains in the five camps of the North Army were all Liang Ji's party, so they didn't use the North and South Palace guards and the North Army. History didn't record who the Zhijinwu was at that time, but it was probably also untrustworthy, so they used Yulin and Tiger's Might exclusively. As for the stable riders, they were the riding officials in the palace stables, and the sword and halberd soldiers were patrolling the palace, led by the Du Hou of six hundred stones. The sum of the two might not even exceed a hundred. This was gathering all the available soldiers in the palace for a desperate blow.

In the Party Prohibition disaster, Dou Wu summoned several thousand soldiers from the five camps of the North Army to enter the city to purge the eunuchs. The eunuchs mobilized available soldiers, also totaling more than a thousand stable riders, Tiger's Might, Yulin, and sword and halberd soldiers. This was probably the constant number of soldiers that could be gathered by eunuchs in the palace. Another edict mobilized the remaining camp soldiers of the North Army to join with Tiger's Might and Yulin to attack Dou Wu.

The two armies attacked each other. The North Army was afraid of the eunuchs' power, and many soldiers surrendered, so Dou Wu was defeated. From this, we know that He Jin's plan to summon foreign troops into the capital was actually based on reasons. First, he worried that the eunuchs would act in a rush, holding an edict to mobilize troops for a battle, like the old incident of Dou Wu, fearing changes. Second, he wanted to threaten the Empress Dowager to force the palace, wanting to eliminate the eunuchs completely. Once the eunuchs were removed, the Empress Dowager would be a widow. If He Jin succeeded, he might not necessarily not become Wang Mang. This was also the reason why the Empress Dowager refused to eliminate the eunuchs completely.

The world often says that He Jin was foolish and lost his mind, summoning foreign troops, but they don't know the situation of the military power in the capital at that time and He Jin's purpose. Cao Cao talked about purging the eunuchs, saying 'one jailer is enough,' meaning to kill the head of the eunuchs to apologize to the world. But at that time, the scholars and the eunuchs were already at odds, and the situation could not coexist. And the Empress Dowager's intention was not fixed, so Cao Cao's words were easy to say but difficult to do. Moreover, the various forces among the eunuchs were not under one person, so finding a 'head' to kill might not be enough to suppress the evil, but would alarm the remaining party. However, if things were done properly, it might not be impossible to stabilize the situation.

And He Jin's plan was big. He regarded himself as the head of the scholars, wanting to purge all the eunuchs to meet public expectations, so he mobilized foreign troops. Scholars hated eunuchs, and history books often spoke for He Jin, and He Jin died early. This is exactly the day when Duke Zhou feared rumors, and the time when Wang Mang was humble and had not yet usurped the throne. Chen Lin said 'the great army gathers, the strong are the heroes.' If He Jin didn't die, how could the strong not be him? When Dong Zhuo first entered Luoyang, he had no more than three thousand infantry and cavalry. How could he compete with He Jin?"

Xiao Baoyue's expression was flying, and she patted the table:

"Well said! He Jin had no confidence in controlling the situation in the capital, nor the determination to cross the Empress Dowager. Although his wisdom was insufficient, he was not an idiot. Like Yuan Benchu attacking the palace gate after He Jin died, one was to have a famous teacher, and the other was to fight to the death. While He Jin was alive, he was the legitimate ruler. How could he act like Yuan Benchu, killing indiscriminately? If he did that, his traces would be close to usurpation, losing the expectations of the court scholars internally, and giving excuses to the regional towns externally, and breaking with the Empress Dowager.

Later generations like to discuss things with hindsight. Seeing people win, they praise their heroism; seeing people lose, they belittle their mediocrity; seeing people hesitate, they ridicule their indecision; seeing people fail, they call them incompetent. In fact, what do they know about talent? In the world, mediocre people account for thousands, and non-mediocre people don't get one. How can one discuss non-mediocre people with mediocre people? Therefore, I know that the world's comments cannot be taken as a final conclusion!"

After Xiao Baoyue finished speaking, she drank a cup of cold wine and said again: "Duke Zhou feared rumors, Wang Mang was humble and had not yet usurped the throne. These two sentences have deep meaning."

Xiao Baoyue stopped talking here, her eyes deep, not knowing what she was thinking.

Wang Yang said: "Time is almost up, I'll go back first."

Xiao Baoyue immediately said: "It's still early! The incense hasn't burned out, the shadow of the sun hasn't lowered the curtain, why is the Young Master in such a hurry? I still want to ask the Young Master to discuss the Party Prohibition disaster!"

"Another day, I have to go to Xiangxue Tower to order two sets of banquets for delivery."

"Easy to say, I'll send someone to order and have it delivered to the Young Master's mansion."

"Not to my mansion."

"Then where to?"

Wang Yang whispered to Xiao Baoyue.

Xiao Baoyue looked at Wang Yang suspiciously: "What does the Young Master mean by this?"

Wang Yang smiled: "Heavenly secrets cannot be leaked. You order the banquet well, don't lose my face."

Xiao Baoyue gritted her teeth and inhaled!

Decided... to endure it for now... ===== CHAPTER 195 =====